True Christianity is far removed from the hurdy-gurdy entertainment of modern Christendom. It is not to be confused with the luxury-living and pleasure-seeking that are so rampant today. Rather, it is a struggle to the death, an unceasing conflict against the forces of hell. No disciple is worth his salt who does not realize that the battle is drawn and that there is no turning back.
In war, there must be unity. It is no time for petty bickering, for partisan jealousies, for divided loyalties. No house divided against itself can stand. Therefore, the soldiers of Christ must be united. The way to unity is through humility. It is impossible to have strife with a truly humble man. It takes two to fight. “Only by pride cometh contention.” Where there is no pride, there is no room for contention.
War demands austerity and sacrificial living. In war of any consequence, there is invariably a vast system of rationing. It is high time that Christians realized that we are at war and that expenditures must be cut to a minimum so that as much of our resources as possible can be thrown into the struggle.
War demands skill in the use of weapons. A Christian’s weapons are prayer and the Word of God. He must give himself to fervent, believing, persevering prayer. Only thus can the strongholds of the enemy be pulled down. Then, too, he must be proficient in the use of the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The enemy will do everything in his power to trick him into dropping this sword. He will cast doubts upon the inspiration of the Scriptures. He will point to alleged contradictions. He will bring opposing arguments from science and philosophy and human traditions. But the soldier of Christ must hold his ground, proving the effectiveness of his weapon by using it in season and out of season.
War demands a knowledge of the enemy and of his strategy. So it is in the Christian warfare. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). We know that “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14).
A trained soldier knows that his bitterest opposition will not come from the drunkard, or a common thief, or the harlot, but rather from the professed ministers of religion. It was the religious leaders who nailed the Christ of God to the cross. It was religious leaders who persecuted the early church. Paul met his most savage attacks from the hand of those who professed to be God’s servants. So it has been down through the years. Satan’s ministers are transformed as the ministers of righteousness. They speak religious language, they wear religious clothes, they act with an affected piety, but their hearts are filled with hatred for Christ and for the gospel.
War demands undistractedness. “Every one who serves as a soldier avoids becoming entangled in the affairs of civil life, so that he may satisfy the officer who enlisted him” (2 Tim. 2:4, Weymouth). The disciple of Christ learns to be intolerant of anything that might stand between his soul and complete devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is ruthless without being offensive, firm without being discourteous. But he has one passion and one passion alone. Everything else must be brought into captivity.
War demands courage in the face of danger. “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore…” (Eph. 6:13-14a). It has been often pointed out that the armor of the Christian soldier in Ephesians 6:13-18 makes no provision for the back and therefore makes no provision for retreat. Why retreat? If “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us,” if no one can be successful against us because God is for us, if victory is assured before we ever start to fight, how can we ever think of turning back? –True Discipleship